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SUMMARY REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION OF RAILS WHICH CONTAIN DETAIL FRACTURES

This study examined detail fractures from shelling which had been found in rail by detector cars and determined if the chemistry, mechanical properties or structures of detail fracture rails varied from those of random rails. Examination of 54 detail fractures showed that such fractures may assume a wide range of size and shape. Of the fractures examined, 28 percent had bright, unoxidized surfaces; indicating no contact with the surface of the rail. About 70 percent of the rails containing detail fractures were taken from the high side of curves. The average chemical analyses and mechanical properties of 44 rails having detail fractures and 26 random rails were so nearly the same that no distinction between the two groups was possible. The mechanical tests included hardness, tensile properties, and impact properties.